The present invention relates generally to the field of internal combustion engines, and more particularly, is directed to rotary valves for use generally in a four cylinder internal combustion engine or in an eight cylinder inherently balanced internal combustion engine of the type disclosed in the said co-pending application, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,460.
The engine using the rotary valve of the present invention can be built in any number of cylinders, but the four cylinder and eight cylinder combinations appear most practical at this time for developing adequate power in a compact design. Either a gaseous fuel or a diesel fuel may be employed with the same rotary valve design and with but minor engine modifications. It is therefore possible to operate one bank of four cylinders as a diesel engine and to utilize a second bank as a gaseous engine, for example for starting purposes or for optional extra power. The following description is directed particularly to an eight cylinder engine for purposes of illustration inasmuch as a four cylinder engine would need rotating counterweights and other odd number of cylinder engines are not inherently balanced.